Emile gebot



UNITED' STATES PATENT FFICE EMILE GEEoT, E BUFFALO; lNEW YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No.231,488, dated July 17, 18.83.

Application tiled March 13, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom, it mag/concern.-

city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State the fire-escape in such manner that the hatch of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

"This invention relates to improvements in that class ofk fire-escapes which embody in their construction a number of balconies,which are accessible from the windows or other openings in the wall of the building, and ladders which are pivoted to the under sides of the balconies in such manner that they can be turned up against the under side of the balconies7 and secured in this position, when not required for use, and can be lowered when required for use, so as to connect each balcony with the one next below, thereby forming a ready means of escape on the outside of the building.

The object of my invention is to construct ways in the balconies which lead to the ladder .will be securely closed by trap-doors when the ladders are not in use, and that suchbalconies will be opened downwardly as the ladders are lowered, thereby insuring` the working of the apparatus, and preventingthe hatchways from becoming obstructed. y

My invention also relates to the means whereby the several ladders are raised and lowered simultaneously.

My invention consists of the improvements which will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents an elevation of a building provided with my improved fire-escape, the lower balcony and its ladder being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section in line :v a, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a top plan view taken in line y y, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A A A2 represent several balconies secured to the outside of a building, one above the other, and in convenient reach of the windows or other openings in the wall of the building.

a a a2 are the hatchways or openings formed in the iioors of said balconies, and B B B2 are the ladders, which are hung or pivoted to the tached to the outer side pieces of the ladder by pivoted bars c. The side pieces of the ladder are connected by the steps d, and are pivoted at their upper ends to the balconies at e, and the hand-rails c are also pivoted to the balconies at f. The hand-rails and the connecting-bars are arranged on the outer sides of the outer side pieces of the ladders, as represented in Fig. 2, so that in raising and closing the ladders against the under sides of the balconies the ladders and the hand-rails and connecting-bars will fold compactly and be hidden from view by a depending ornamental plate, with which the balconies may be provided.

g g represent two trap-doors'arranged in each of the hatchways a a a2, for the purpose of closing the same when the ladder is in its raised position against the under side of the balcony. These trap-doors are hung or pivoted loosely to the inner and outer sides of each hatchway, so as to drop down readily vwhen the ladder supporting the doors is lowered.

71. represents upwardly-projecting arms se- `cured to the side piecesl of each ladder, and

adapted to bear against the under sides of the trap-doors g, so as to close the latter when the ladder is raised. The upper ends of the arms h arepreferably provided with rollers which bear against the trap-doors.

'i represents a low railing which projects on those sides ofthe hatchways which -are farthest from the ladder when lowered. The railing fi compels persons to pass to the outer end of the hatchway which is nearest to the pivoted upper end of the ladder, and prevents persons from falling or steppingV accidentally through those parts of the hatchway which are located so high above the ladder that there would be danger of injury to the persons by stepping through those portions of the hatchway. The balconies are protected by the usual railings, 7c.

Z represents a rope or cable, which is wound IOO upon a windlass, m, and which runs from said windlass upwardly around guide-pulleys n u to a guide-pulley, n?, arranged above the upper balcony, and thence downwardly and over guide-pulleys n to the lowest ladder, B2. The upper ladders, B B, are connected with the rope Zby branch ropes Z Z2. The branch ropes Z Z` are so connected with the ladders B B as to compensate for the diii'erence in height between the stories of the building and the corresponding difference in length in the several ladders, so that upon winding the rope Z upon the windlass m all of the ladders will be raised simultaneously and closed against the under side of their respective balconies, while upon unwinding the rope from the windlass all the ladders will be lowered simultaneously and establish a connection with the balcony or other landing next below. The windlass is inelosed in a suitable case, o, which can be locked, and that portion of the rope Z which extends immediately above the casing o may f be protected by a suitable tube extending to a suitable height to prevent tampering with the rope. The windlass may be provided with a crank attached to its pinion, or the crank may be made detachable and placed in the casing o, Vwhen not required for use.

W'hen the ladders are not required for use as iire-eseapes, they are held up against the i under sides of the balconies by the ropesZ Z Z2. rlhe ladders support in this position the trapdoors g in a horizontal position, which are prevented from unwinding from the drum of the windlass by a suitable detent, thereby forming a closed iioor in each balcony, and permitting the balconies to be used for ordinary purposes.

Vhen the ladders are required for use as fire-escapes, the easing o is opened, the windlass m turned so as to unwind the rope from the same, thereby lowering the ladders and permitting the trap-doors to open downwardly. The trap-doors open by their own weight, and, as they open downwardly, the hatchways cannot be choked up or obstructed by persons in their anxiety to escape. The hatchways are preferably arranged alternately at opposite ends of the balconies, as shown in the drawings; but, if preferred, they may all be j arranged on the same side, one-above the other, and the ladders may in this case be trap-door is supported when the ladder is in an elevated position, and which permits the door to drop down when the ladder is lowered, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a balcony provided with a hatchway, of a trap door or doors, g, hung in said hatchway so as'to open downwardly, and a pivoted ladder constructed with an arm or arms, h, whereby the trap-door is supported, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a series of fixed 1 balconies provided with hatchways, of pivoted ladders depending from the under sides of said balconies, and actuating mechanism at- ;tached to. Said ladders, whereby said ladders l are. raised and lowered simultaneously and se- ;eured in an elevated position when not required for use, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a series of balconies, A A A2, provided with hatehways a .a a2 and trap-doors g, hung thereinto open idownwardly, of ladders B B B2, pivoted to rthe under sides of said balconies, and means, substantially as described, whereby said lad- ;'ders are raised and lowered simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

5. rlhe combination, with a series of bal- ;conies, A A A2, provided with hatchways a a a and trap-doors g, hung' thereto and opening downwardly, of ladders B B B2, pivoted to the under sides of the said balconies, a windlass, on, and a rope, Z, and branch ropes Z Z, connected with vsaidladders and running over suitable guide-pulleys, whereby the ladders are raised and lowered simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

EMILE GEROT.

Vitnesses:

Guns. F. GEYER, JNO. J. BoNNnR. 

